ot: united states peace corps

dave1215 · #1 04-15-2008, 06:24 PM

i was a business advisor in micronesia in '83-'85. anybody else here served in the u.s. peace corps?

#2 04-15-2008, 06:59 PM

my wife was in Chad 91-93. We have lots of friends from the corps.

#3 04-15-2008, 07:09 PM

A wonderful initiative. A truly worthy program.

shinomaster · #4 04-15-2008, 07:10 PM

My dad scored his wife (my mom) in the peace corps.

#5 04-15-2008, 07:13 PM

My wife will be perpetually preserved from all of the formaldehyde in this stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tr1bnMdRCk

The beer of Tchad.

Jeunesse et Joie!

Fixed · #6 04-15-2008, 07:15 PM

a good thread you cats are heros imho
cheers and thanks

kgreene10 · #7 04-15-2008, 07:42 PM

I encourage my best undergrad students to consider the Peace Corps and two are currently serving.

#8 04-15-2008, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgreene10

I encourage my best undergrad students to consider the Peace Corps and two are currently serving.

Thank you.

dave1215 · #9 04-16-2008, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinomaster

My dad scored his wife (my mom) in the peace corps.

son? is that you?

Dustin · #10 04-16-2008, 04:30 AM

Served in Guinea from 96-98, and met my wife who served in Guinea 97-99. Without a doubt, two of the best years of my life. I'm still in touch with some of my former students.

And to think if it weren't for that experience, I probably wouldn't be living in lovely, sweltering Burkina Faso right now. Er, on second thought . . .

dave1215 · #11 04-16-2008, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dustin

...two of the best years of my life...

yes, for some, a foundation for all good things to come

were you biking in guinea?

Dustin · #12 04-16-2008, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave1215

were you biking in guinea?

I had a Peace Corps issue early 90s fully rigid steel Nishiki (I think) MTB. The area I was in was heavily forested, and there were some pretty fantastic rides along the dirt roads and trails that led to different villages. I also biked every day to school and put the bike inside my classroom, something that used to amuse my students.

In hindsight, it was a great bike. I beat it up, did no maintenance, and it just kept ticking. I could bike out 50-100K, and then throw it on top of a bush taxi to get home without worrying about it getting scratched. I don't think I've ever had a period in my life since then when I did so much biking with so little obsessing about bikes and equipment. I just rode it.

Of course, it can't exactly compare to the Rohloff-equipped Blacksheep Monstercrosser that I ride here in Burkina, but I have a little more money these days.

#13 04-16-2008, 09:05 AM

Motobecanes were the rage in post colonial Africa.

Acotts · #14 04-16-2008, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgreene10

I encourage my best undergrad students to consider the Peace Corps and two are currently serving.

Funny you say this. When i graduated college in '99, from a pretty good university, I tried to do peace corps.

The "recruiter" told me..."I would rather have a plumber than another straight A student." I can swear to it. The times were bad for grads in those years, but I wasn't expecting that. So i never applied.

I am still quite bitter about it. That seems like an opportunity lost now that I am working full time and soon to be married. (AKA domesticated)

Anyways, that was a tough one on the ego. I thought that they could use a smart, tough kid who is fluent in french. Now I am seeing them send folks to South America who dont speak a lick of Spanish.

Dustin · #15 04-16-2008, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acotts

Funny you say this. When i graduated college in '99, from a pretty good university, I tried to do peace corps.

The "recruiter" told me..."I would rather have a plumber than another straight A student." I can swear to it. The times were bad for grads in those years, but I wasn't expecting that. So i never applied.

I am still quite bitter about it. That seems like an opportunity lost now that I am working full time and soon to be married. (AKA domesticated)

Anyways, that was a tough one on the ego. I thought that they could use a smart, tough kid who is fluent in french. Now I am seeing them send folks to South America who dont speak a lick of Spanish.

Sounds like you just had a cranky, a-hole recruiter who was a bit too fond of his/her personal opinion. Too bad. When I served in the mid-90s, we had some older couples and retired people in our training class, but much as it has always been, the large majority of people were bright, straight-A kids not too far out of college. Ten years later, nothing has changed if the volunteers I've run into across West Africa are any indication.

It's never too late though, as long as you don't have dependent children.